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OPINION

ECI is the tightest, most well-run prison in Maryland

DR. TALMADGE C. REEVES, READER
Published 6:06 a.m. ET Oct. 16, 2016

I feel a lot safer working in the prison than riding through some of our neighborhoods. At least I know I won’t be shot.

I have a hard time believing the Daily Times would publish such an inflammatory opinion article as it did recently concerning the arrests at Eastern Correctional Institution. It sounded like Fox News.

I have been a part-time contractual employee of Mental Health Management, working at Eastern Correctional Institution since soon after it opened some 29 years ago. I help deliver the care to the 20 percent of inmates who have mental diagnoses.

A Shangri La it is not. Ninety-nine percent of the 600 correctional officers are upstanding, loyal, dedicated people who take their jobs seriously and with pride. When you are the “guarding force” for 3,000 inmates, with a large number being antisocial psychopaths who have nothing to do but plot and plan how they can lure you into their web, you would expect a few — in this case 18 out of 600 — to fall prey to their conniving ways.

The correctional officers are well trained to guard against this type of behavior. The really few, once you have crossed the line into the inmate world, it is next to impossible to get out.

Eastern Correctional Institution is known as the tightest, most well-run prison in the state of Maryland. In fact, the “lifers” hate to be sent to ECI from the western shore prisons because of its enforced rules.

Trying to report to work is an understandable ordeal, stripping of belt and shoes. Every thing and person is scanned and patted down; I can’t even bring in a copy of the Daily Times or a cellphone.

It’s my understanding the cellphones found were doctored cellphones the investigation had infiltrated into the prison via the outside 27 suppliers so they (the investigators) could listen in.

I feel a lot safer working in the prison than riding through some of our neighborhoods. At least I know I won’t be shot.

Thank you, correctional officers of ECI, for keeping the staff and inmates safe.

Thank you, investigators, for weeding out the bad apples. We applaud you.